The group, who had done house concerts in the past, said sure. And from that phone call an idea for "Concerts In The Studio" was born.
"I started to research who I'd like to see and just made some calls," explained Mark Costanzo. "The first show I had was Amy Rigby in April (2005) and the second show was The Kennedys in May. So, I said why not make a series of it once a month."
House concerts have become increasingly popular with musicians around the world. Some are veterans of the club scene that are getting a bit older and tired of playing smoky bars each night. Others have discovered house concerts to be an excellent source of income and a great way to sell cds. Few people have the great setup for the shows as Costanzo does; in fact, the setup is closer to a true listening room than to a living room.
Mark Costanzo is a professional photographer who spent a lot of time shooting pictures in the entertainment business in the early 80s. His photographs ran in publications from local newspapers to Rolling Stone. After a while, he made the move towards commercial photography. His studio was a garage converted to have higher ceilings and skylights for added light. In addition to being a beautiful set up for a crowd of 65, the setting features wonderful acoustics as well.
If the setting doesn't sway the artist, Costanzo's financial arrangement usually will. All of the money from ticket sales and cd sales go directly to the artist. In addition, the artists are given a guarantee before the deal is set. It's not surprising that most artists say yes to Mark. The most important thing is finding dates that work with an artist's touring schedule.
The first season of "Concerts In The Studio" included performances by Amy Rigby, The Kennedys, Darden Smith, Richard X. Heyman, Robert Hazard, Jim Babjak/Gripweeds, Mary-Sue Twohy, Phil Roy, Amy Correia, and Steve Forbert. The pattern runs from rock to folk to bluegrass and matches that of WXPN (Philadelphia) and WBJB (Lincroft), the NPR stations Costanzo prefers to listen to.
"The thing I didn't want was for it to be all folk musicians," explained Costanzo. "A lot of house concert series are just basically a solo performer and guitar. Sometimes that's great but it just wouldn't excite me to do it."
In addition to providing a musical series for eclectic tastes, "Concerts In The Studio" largely goes after artists that don't normally do house concerts. The result is a very unique and intimate performance that becomes a once in a lifetime experience for a music fan. Unfortunately, as Mark and his wife Elaine have discovered, even offering a great show doesn't mean it will definitely be sold out.
"Initially I thought all I'd have to do was invite a lot of people," said Costanzo. "I just assumed as soon as I put it on a performance website people would come. I mean, how hard is it to get 40 people to a concert? It made me empathize with these performers. It's got to be hard for them to manage."
The number of people attending the series rises with each show as the mailing list grows and word of mouth spreads. Future shows include Adrienne Young & Little Sadie (to kick off the 2nd year) on February 26th, Marshall Crenshaw on March 19th, Willie Nile on April 9th, and Graham Parker on May 21st.
"Concerts In The Studio" is located in Freehold and easily accessible from downtown Freehold (off-Broadway) and Route 18. Visit his website (www.concertsinthestudio) for contact information or to purchase tickets to an upcoming show. Seats are limited so reserve early.
Join us for McCarter at the Museum - renowned performing artists in one-night only events at the Princeton University Art Museum.
Jason Robert Brown is a four-time Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist of The Last Five Years, Parade, Songs for a New World, 13, The Bridges of Madison County, Honeymoon In Vegas and The Connector, has performed as a soloist or with his band in venues around the world, including sold-out shows at the London Palladium and Carnegie Hall. His albums as a singer-songwriter include Wearing Someone Else’s Clothes and How We React and How We Recover on Ghostlight, and Coming From Inside the House and Live In Concert with Stephen Sondheim on Concord.
With Special Guest Tony nominee Betsy Wolfe. Tony Award-nominated actress Betsy Wolfe is currently starring as Audrey in the acclaimed Off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors, following her recent Broadway run as Madeline Ashton in the hit musical Death Becomes Her. She previously originated the title role in Joy, the new musical inspired by inventor Joy Mangano, and earned a 2023 Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her celebrated performance as Anne Hathaway in & Juliet. Other Broadway credits include starring as Jenna in Waitress, Cordelia in the acclaimed revival of Falsettos, Bullets Over Broadway, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Everyday Rapture, and 110 in the Shade, as well as her critically acclaimed performance as Cathy in the Off-Broadway revival of The Last Five Years. Wolfe made her Metropolitan Opera debut in Die Fledermaus and has appeared as a guest artist with more than 65 symphony, pops, and philharmonic orchestras worldwide, including the New York Philharmonic and BBC Symphony Orchestra, with performances at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. Her screen credits include First One In, Estella Scrooge, CBS’s Instinct, and the film adaptation of The Last Five Years. Wolfe is also the co-founder of BroadwayEvolved, the acclaimed musical theatre training program she launched in 2018 to train and mentor the next generation of theatre artists.
A limited number of early access tickets for McCarter Director’s Circle members and members of the Museum’s Partner Circle are available, on sale Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 12:00 PM. General public on sale begins Friday, September 18, 2026 at 12:00 PM.
Please be aware there is no public drop-off or parking at the Museum. For visitors with mobility needs, please contact the Museum at least three business days in advance of your visit to request special access to the Museum via Elm Drive. Call 609-258-3788 and select option 1 to speak to a visitor services staff member, or email Louise Barrett at [email protected].
